Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United legend, harshly criticized Neymar, stating that despite his talent, he has never regarded him as a top-level player like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. According to the former English forward, the Brazilian's career and achievements are not impressive. These comments were made during an interview on the podcast The Overlap, at a time when the Santos player missed Carlo Ancelotti's call-up ahead of the 2026 World Cup. "I like Neymar, but I've never considered him a top-tier player. You know, at the level of Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. He played well at Barcelona, but Messi always overshadowed him," Rooney said. Neymar and Rooney faced each other only twice, both in international friendlies in 2013. In the first match, England won 2-1 at home, and then they drew 2-2 in Brazil. Rooney was involved in all the goals: two goals scored and two assists.
Wayne Rooney Manchester United remains central to this story.
Wayne Rooney Manchester United remains central to this story.
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